Baileys Shortlist Revealed

Three British authors, one Canadian author, an American author and a Nigerian writer are in the running for the prestigious Baileys prize. The list features one previous winner, Linda Grant, for her novel When I Lived in Modern Times (2000) and a debut novelist, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀̀ for Stay With Me. Naomi Alderman won the Orange Award for New Writers in 2006. Madeleine Thien's Do Not Say We Have Nothing was shortlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize.

Making the announcement, Tessa Ross, Chair of Judges, said "It has been a great privilege to Chair the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction in a year which has proved exceptional for writing of both quality and originality... From Kentucky in the 19th century to a dystopian future to a post-war sanatorium in the English countryside to 1980s Nigeria, the shortlist celebrates narratives that are daring and intimate, that examine the depth of human experience in unique and compelling ways. We were both impressed and moved by memorable characters, from a young woman fleeing her home in China to a writer coming to terms with her failing marriage. These were the six novels that stayed with all of us well beyond the final page."

The winner, to be announced 7th June, will be presented with a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze statue known as 'The Bessie'. Last year's winner was Lisa McInerney for her debut The Glorious Heresies.